Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'filmmakers'

Filmmaker Reflects On 'Waltz With Bashir' Reception

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:04:00 EST

Although Ari Folman's father warned him not to create the animated film about Israeli involvement in a massacre during the 1982 Lebanon war, the filmmaker did so anyway, in part to dissuade teenagers from going to war. To Folman's surprise, it was embraced by the Israeli government.

New Voices From South Asia Share Hope, Concerns

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:23:00 EST

A new generation of Indians and Pakistanis are now dealing with their countries' fragile relationship. Indian writer Sonia Faleiro and Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar say they understand why mistrust persists.

'Barbershop', 'Soulfood' Filmmaker Gets Candid

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Bob Teitel may not be a household name, but his films drive heated household conversations. The producer behind the Barbershop movies, Soulfood, Beautyshop and the upcoming film Notorious, about the life and times of rapper Notorious B.I.G. Teitel explains what motivates his work, and his love for Chicago, the setting for some of his most popular films.

80 Years Of Fictional Black Presidents

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:06:00 EST

For several decades, filmmakers, novelists, musicians and TV writers have been imagining what life would be like in the U.S. with a black commander-in-chief. Salon writer Louis Bayard compares fictional black presidents to the president-elect.

Jia Zhangke: Capturing China's Transformation

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:38:00 EST

Critic John Powers says the beautifully shot films of Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke register what's getting lost in China's transformation — and why Jia is one of the most eminent directors of our time.

Louisiana Seduces Filmmakers With Tax Breaks

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Several states are trying to boost their budgets by luring Hollywood movie productions. Louisiana even offers tax credits to filmmakers who produce movies in the state. Greg Albrecht, chief economist for Louisiana's legislature, discusses how to justify such incentives in a rough economy.

'Nights & Weekends'

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:56:00 EST

Host Liane Hansen talks with filmmakers and actors Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig about their new film, Nights And Weekends.

Rhode Island Festival Commemorates End Of Slave Trade

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:36:00 EDT

Host Michel Martin kicks off Rhode Island's Freedom Festival with a conversation on a bicentennial commemoration, marking the end of the transatlantic slave trade. Martin is joined by filmmaker Katrina Browne, Africana Studies professor Dr. James Campbell, Mary-Kim Arnold and the Rev. Jeffery A. Williams, head pastor at the Cathedral of Life.

'Boogie Man': The Paradox Of Lee Atwater

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:57:00 EDT

Lee Atwater, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, is remembered for being a ruthless political operative. But in a new documentary about Atwater's controversial life and legacy, filmmaker Stefan Forbes shows that despite his reputation as "Darth Vader," Atwater won the respect of many, including political enemies.

Peace Day Film Brings Jude Law To Afghanistan

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:51:00 EDT

Jude Law and documentary filmmaker Jeremy Gilley went to Afghanistan to promote the U.N. International Day of Peace with a new film, The Day After Peace. The Day of Peace, scheduled for Sept. 21, seeks to pause conflict for a day.

Filmmaker Detained In China

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Chinese authorities detained a number of people believed to be aiding pro-Tibet protestors during the Olympics. Tom Grant, an independent filmmaker from New York City, was released Sunday after spending five days in a Beijing detention center.

Restored Film Gives Life to Native American Story

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:15:00 EDT

A landmark film about the lives of Native Americans in 1950s Los Angeles has been given a new life. Thanks to the efforts of filmmaker Charles Burnett and award-winning author Sherman Alexie, the 1961 film The Exiles has been restored. Burnett and Alexie speak about the film's significance and relevance more than 40 years after its release.

The Postmodern Works Of Guy Maddin

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:38:00 EDT

Film critic John Powers looks at the recent work of Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin. His film Brand Upon the Brain is now out on DVD, and his movie My Winnipeg is currently playing in theaters.

A Filmmaker's Excruciating Return To Adolescence

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:16:00 EDT

One of the worst fears of adolescence is throwing a party that no one attends. This actually happened to director Paul Weiland, who was left alone at his Bar Mitzvah because of the 1966 World Cup. Now, Weiland recreates his embarrassment for the amusement of others in his new movie Sixty Six.

Indie Filmmakers: 'Chicken Little Was Right'

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:14:00 EDT

In the art-house movie biz, the sky really is falling, observers say. Studios are folding. The survivors are releasing fewer movies. Even film-festival favorites are finding it hard to find distribution deals.

Film Probes America's Beauty Obsession

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Americans spend millions on beauty products, trendy clothes, and plastic surgery. Is America obsessed with beauty? That's a question filmmaker Darryl Roberts explored in his new documentary, "American the Beautiful." Farai Chideya speaks with Roberts and model/actress Gerren Taylor, who was at the heart of this film.

Long-Lost Reels Of 1927's 'Metropolis' Recovered

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Paula Felix-Didier of the Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires, Argentina, discovered more than 20 minutes of missing film footage from the classic science fiction silent movie Metropolis in her museum's archives. German filmmaker Fritz Lang directed the film, and three reels have been missing almost since its premiere in 1927. Felix-Didier, the museum's director, talks with Deborah Amos.

Norma Winstone: Britain's Poetic Jazz Singer

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:11:00 EDT

The veteran vocalist has a gift for putting the right words to a melody. She wrote some lyrics for her new CD, Distances, and she blends a poem by an Italian filmmaker with music by eccentric French composer Erik Satie.

'Hellboy II,' Doing Justice To Comics (And Baddies)

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

The demon hero's latest adventure definitely packs the comic book's punch — but Guillermo del Toro's latest flick isn't just for fanboys. The filmmaker's prodigious gifts make it an actioner for all ages.

A New Twist on Balloons

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EDT

Two filmmakers blow the world of balloon twisters wide open in a new documentary.

Should Rape Be Considered a Weapon...

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EDT

It's already thought of as a war crime, but now the United Nations Security Council is asking whether rape should be classified as a weapon of war. Madeleine Brand talks to filmmaker Lisa Jackson about how her film has inspired conversation.

Up the Yangtze: A Director's Take on the Three Gorges Dam

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:05:00 EDT

As China's enormous Three Gorges dam nears completion, one filmmaker shows what's being lost and gained for those who live along the Yangtze river.

Actor, Filmmaker Sydney Pollack Dies at 73

Tue, 27 May 2008 08:08:00 EDT

Sydney Pollack died Monday of cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was best known for directing The Way We Were, Out of Africa, Tootsie and Three Days of the Condor, among many other movies. But he began his career as an actor.

'Worst Director in the World' Goes 'Postal'

Thu, 22 May 2008 08:47:00 EDT

German filmmaker Uwe Boll still can't grasp why he's drawn such a negative title. He takes his fight with critics seriously; even inviting them to a boxing match. His latest movie will go up against Indiana Jones this weekend.

Fatih Akin, Crossing Borders and Boundaries on Film

Wed, 21 May 2008 15:35:00 EDT

Turkish-German filmmaker, 34, drew an Oscar nomination and a Cannes screenwriting award for his hot-ticket movie The Edge of Heaven. Critics say it's his breakthrough as a leading light of the new global cinema.